Base socket



April 2, 1929.

:wzwm wzmmxm WITNESSES:

L. w. CHUBB 1,707,252

BASE 50cm."

Filed April 29, 1922 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Apr. 2, 1929.

'nmrso STATES LEWIS HARRINGTON CHUIBB, OF EDGE-WOOD PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGN 'OR WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC 80 MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION K'J'li PENN SYLVANIA.

BASE SOCKET.

. Application filed April 28, 1922. Serial No. 557,259.

My invention relates to socket devices and particularly to base sockets adapted for use with vacuum tubes.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a socket of simple, compact and rugged design which lends itself to 1nexpensive quantity production wlth existing auto matic machinery. p

A further object of my invention is to provide a socket of such design as to provide an exceptionall firm electrical contact and a smooth mec anical contact.

According. to my invention, 1 provide a socket containing, as a contact element, an annular helical spring adapted to provide a yielding circumferential engagement with a plug member. The ends of the spr ng may be extended to form external. c1rcu1t termlnals or tabs.

With these and other objects in view, my invention further consists in the constructional combinations and details hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view oi a socket device embodying my invention adapted to be employed as a vacuum-tube base Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of a supporting plate member carrying the contact elements;

Fig. 3 is a view illustrating a helical spring member from which my contact elements may be formed;

Fig. 4 is a view showing a modified form of helical spring contact element;

Fig. 5 is a artial sectional view of a socket device embo ying my invention with a plug member inserted therein.

in the embodiment of m invention shown in the drawings, an annu ar helical spring member 1, having its ends extended to form a terminal tab 2, is employed as a. resilient contact element. The annular helical spring member may be formed by so bending. a single helical spring member 3 as to form annular springs of one or two turns, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, respectively. The springs may be made of such materials as phosphorbronze or stainless steel, preferably the latter, since it admits of a. heat treatment which 'is necessary in some forms of spring mountings.

The springs may be mounted n any approved supporting structure, depending upon the specific application thereof. .In the drawing is shown one form of supporting structure a admitting of the application of my invention to vacuuuntube base sockets. The supporting structure shown comprises a pair or plate members 5 and 6 having unsymmetrically disposed perforations which are so complementarily arranged that they will register when the plates 5 and 6 are placed back-to-back. The perforations 7 or the perforations 8, or both of them, are countersunk to form recesses 9 for the members 1. Adjacent to each perforation 7 in the plate member 5 is an auxiliary perforation 12 that extends parallel to the main perforation to receive a terminal tab 2.

In assemblin the parts of m invention, the annular springs l are fitted mto the several recesses 9 and the terminal tabs 2 are caused to extend through the auxiliary perforations 12, thereby providing for the corn nection of the spring members 1 to an external circuit (not shown). The members 5 and 6 are then placed together, with the crforations in alinement, and are held in p ace by bolts 13 extending through openings 14 and 15 therein. The depth of the recesses or countersunk portions 9 is preferably such that the several springs 1 exert a force tending to separate the supporting members 5 and 6. The contact elements are disposed in a non-symmetrical relation in order to preventthe Wrong terminal pins of a vacuumtube device (not shown) frombeing inserted in the base socket.

While I have shown one embodiment of my invention, for the purpose of describing the same and illustrating its various ap lications, it is apparent that various modi 'cations maybe made in the arrangement and the mounting of the helical spring contact elements without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shallbe made thereon as are demanded by the prior art or specifically indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a socket device, a spring wound as a helix, the helix being wound upon itself, whereby the whorls of one turn are interspersed between the, whorls of a preceding turn, and means for maintaining the whorls in semi-fixed relationship.

2. .In an electrical contact device, the combination with a plug member, of a co-operating spring wound in a helix, the helix being wound upon itself so that the whorls of one part thereof are interspersed among the whorls of another part.

sunk portionysaid tab extending from said member through said second erforation.

'4. In a base socket,'the com ination'with a pair of members having complementar aligned countersunk perforations of a resi ient contact element common to the countersunk portions of said members and means binding said members together, said countersunk perforations being of such depth as'to admit ofsaid contact element exerting a force tending to separate \said members.

,5. In {those socket, the combination with a I pair of members having complementary aligned countersunk perforations and having auxiliary Eerforations originating in the countersun portions of one member, of annular helical contact elements disposed in the countersunk portions of said members and having terminal tabs extending from said members through said auxiliary perforations, and means for binding said members together.

6. In a base socket, the combination with a member having a pluralit Y of dissimilarly arranged countersunk per orations, of a second member having complementarily arranged countersunk perforations, an auxiliary guideway originating in each countersunk portion at one member, an annular helical contact element disposed in the countersunk portions of complementary pairs of perforations and having terminal tabs through said auxiliary guidewa s.

In testimony whereo I have hereunto subscribed my name this 26th day of April, 1922.

LEWIS WARRINGTON CHUBB. 

